As the Nashville Hot Chicken craze continues, it looks like Dave’s Hot Chicken will be burning its memory into the mouths of Irvine residents very soon.

On Tuesday, Aug. 25, the popular Nashville hot chicken pop-up, credited for bringing the super spicy chicken trend to the West Coast, signed a new partnership with two sisters, Mariam and Angela El Haj, who have a long history of business and real estate investing in Orange County.

Dave’s Hot Chicken specializes in hot chicken tenders and sliders, with spice levels ranging from “No Spice” to “Reaper.”

The El Haj family owns several national chain restaurants, including an IHOP on Harbor Blvd., and now have their sights set on bringing a half-dozen restaurant concepts into the Irvine area.

With 200 locations across the nation, and more than 145,000 followers on Instagram, it’s safe to say everyone is hungry for Dave’s heat. 

Additionally, Shannon Swenson, vice president of franchise development at Dave’s Hot Chicken, explained that the El Haj’s saw Irvine, Orange and Tustin as ideal areas to bring the Dave’s Hot Chicken experience into.

“Mariam and Angela are exactly the type of operating partners that we are looking to grow alongside. As a cultural fit, we are confident that they will create the same energy and experience in Irvine, Orange and Tustin that we aim to produce in each restaurant,” she said. “Their ties to the area and experience in the restaurant industry made this deal a no-brainer. We are thrilled to continue growing.”

Founded in 2017 by Chef Dave Kopushyan, DHC was originally operated as a parking lot pop-up by Kopushyan and a group of friends.  

Since then, the brand has exploded in popularity and now has multiple brick-and-mortar locations open in Southern California.

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